Little Long Lake
Little Long Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 18.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 27.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 175.45 acres.
- Clarity
- 18.7 ft
- Typical in August
- 52°F
- Max depth
- 45 ft
- Area
- 175 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 5
Next lake in Hennepin County
Little Long Lake is a 175-acre mesotrophic lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 45 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 3 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 80 other monitored lakes in Hennepin County, Little Long Lake ranks #17 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-07. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Crystal clear, you can see 18.7 ft down. Phosphorus level: 27.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 18.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 27.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Little Long Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Long Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
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Water Temperature
Little Long Lake typically sits around 52°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 51°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 52°F) and coldest in Apr (about 43°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 2,581 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Long Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 45 ft |
| Surface Area | 175 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 47% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Little Long LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Long Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-22 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 30.54 | 0.21 lb |
| Black Crappie | 11.36 | 0.23 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 4.99 | 0.64 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 4.73 | 1.29 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 3.48 | 0.67 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.17 | 3.32 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Bluegill
Black Crappie
Black Bullhead
Largemouth Bass
From the 2024-07-22 survey
Dutch Lake is a 172-acre lake with a maximum depth of 45 feet. Dutch is located north of the City of Mound, in southwest Hennepin County. Public access is provided by a city-owned boat ramp located on the southeast side of the lake. Dutch is primarily managed for Northern Pike, Bluegill, and Black Crappie, and also…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Long Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — DutchFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — DutchPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.048 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.52 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -1.98 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (4 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-19 (2012) | 2011-04-10 (2011) |
| Ice-In | 2010-11-23 (2010) | 2010-11-23 (2010) |
Most recent ice-out: 2012-03-19
EPA Impairment Status
Little Long Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN27-0179-02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.35 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #17 of 81 lakes in Hennepin County
Nearby Lakes in Hennepin County
Frequently asked questions about Little Long Lake
What is the water quality grade for Little Long Lake?
- Little Long Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 18.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 27.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 175.45 acres.
Is Little Long Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Little Long Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Little Long Lake?
- Little Long Lake typically sits around 52°F at the surface in August, from 2,581 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Long Lake?
- Little Long Lake has a maximum depth of 45 feet. The lake covers 175.45 acres.
What fish are in Little Long Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Long Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Little Long Lake is located in Hennepin County, Minnesota.
When does Little Long Lake thaw?
- Little Long Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 5.
Are there boat ramps on Little Long Lake?
- Little Long Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Little Long Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Little Long Lake across LakeGrade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
368 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA368 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 4500 N C ~ Persufate Method for Total Nitrogen
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate